BANGKOK, Aug 26 — Thailand’s Cabinet on Tuesday approved the 2026 budget and annual operational plan for the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Authority (MTJA) amounting to about US$5.65 million (US$1=RM4.20).
Its Deputy Government Spokesperson Sasikan Watthanachan said the budget and operational plan were proposed by the Ministry of Energy.
“The budget will be financed using revenue from profit-sharing of petroleum sales in the final quarter of 2025, totalling US$5.48 million, and from unspent funds from the 2024 budget, amounting to US$167,546, in accordance with the relevant legal requirements,” she said in a statement after the Cabinet meeting at the Government House on Tuesday.
Sasikan explained that the MTJA requested a total budget of US$5.65 million for 2026 operations, comprising approximately US$5.44 million for operating expenditure and about US$212,400 for capital expenditure.
She said this was US$74,400 (1.30 per cent) lower than the 2025 budget previously approved.
“The MTJA proposed funding the 2026 budget with profit-sharing revenue from the last quarter of 2025 (US$5.48 million) and carry-over funds from 2024 (US$167,546).
“It is projected that in fiscal year 2026, the MTJA will generate a total revenue of approximately US$447.60 million,” she said.
Sasikan added that for 2026, the MTJA has set out key operational plans for the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Development Area (JDA).
“The petroleum management of the JDA under the production sharing contracts for Blocks A-18 and B-17-01 will continue with ongoing exploration, development and production activities,” she said.
The MTJA is a statutory body established in 1991 to manage the JDA in the Gulf of Thailand.
Its mandate is to explore and exploit non-living natural resources, particularly petroleum, in the overlapping continental shelf claimed by both countries, with profits and responsibilities shared equally.
